Blacklight Raves: Shedding Light On The Goth-Inclined Parties Playing Dark Alternative Music

Just your average sighting at Blacklight Raves (Credit: All images courtesy of Blacklight Raves)

A dreadlocked cybergoth decked out in goggles and a gas mask dances flamboyantly with glow sticks. A witchy character in a Victorian-style dress is summoned to the decks. You find yourself bobbing in a party abyss of black, illuminated only by the technicolour hues of glowing neon paint. It’s a fantasy that feels enchanting and mysterious much like a spell; a captivating daze conjured by the universal belief of self-expression. For the uninitiated, the domain of Blacklight Raves might be perceived as alarming or absurd. But for its community of self-confessed oddities, it’s a safe and inclusive ecosystem that feels like home.

The electronic soundtrack of Blacklight Raves positions itself within the dark and alternative aesthetic. You’ll hear elements like morose melodies, melodramatic chord progressions, grim vocals and brutal percussions. It doesn’t just stick to one genre, ranging from the industrial inclinations of EBM and aggrotech to the dreamy touches of witch house, and even some shadowy warehouse techno for good measure. Its coven of DJs are often rotational, featuring both regular selectors like Falling Islands and VYLT, and guest performances from the likes of Microchip Terror, Toastybiskit, Saras Spaceship and Apparatus who broaden the territories of dark, alternative music.

Blacklight has built a like-minded community who embrace the dark

But where does this sit in the conservative, squeaky-clean image of Singapore? The notion of others openly embracing their dark side – think parties themed after witches’ solstices and horror shows –is unconventional, but at the same time, liberating for its advocates who accept it as part of life itself. Just take it from Blacklight Raves’ founder, Loke Shao Xun, who simply just goes by Shao. Formerly a musician with a band that specialised in industrial electronic music – during his 10-year stint in Columbus, Ohio – Shao found light in his life by accepting the beauties of the dark. And with Blacklight Raves, he’s not only sharing it with the Singaporean party scene, but building a beacon for other ‘weirdos’ like himself.

I speak to Shao to understand more about the dark directions of Blacklight Raves.

Shao is the chieftain behind Blacklight Raves

How did the Blacklight concept first come about?

Well, it started with Blacklight Tribe which was my old band. It was an industrial electronic live band, heavily involved in the LGBT and BDSM communities back in Columbus Ohio. We wrote heavy industrial EDM music – think Trent Reznor meets Lady Gaga and they’ve been depressed for a while.

Very vivid. So how did this eventually become Blacklight Raves?

Blacklight is a brand in my head for the music. I was always the weirdo and outcast in school. So this music tells the other weirdos that I’m here and we can come together. I love music because it’s a good way to express negative feelings in a helpful and holistic way as an outlet. Plus I like organising parties. I once organised a pole party for my ex-girlfriend, and then another friend told me that I should make it a cybergoth thing. Blacklight didn’t identify as goth at first, but we had all these black lights and UV paint. When the lights went off, people just went fucking crazy. It was like a modern electronic tribe.

Past performers at Blacklight Raves include VYLT…

What can you tell us about the music at these parties?

We try to keep the programming at least 60% goth. We are mixing it up a little bit, but anything with a dark aesthetic. The main thing is the community. Some of our local DJs play witch house with aggrotech… with industrial EBM and some techno. I think what makes this party different is that it’s a platform for all artists and musicians who belong to the dark alternative genre.

Despite how intimidating they might seem, are Blacklight parties inclusive?

Indeed, there’s this perception that goth people can be a little bit scary to your average person. Goth people can look intimidating if you’re not used to that aesthetic, but they’re actually sweethearts. No one conspicuously brands themselves as goth. And how we’re different from past communities is that we’re very inclusive. Some of the older goths don’t like that as much, but you need to grow a community somewhere and we want to be open.

When I was living in the US, there was a DIY punk scene and they were so open. Even for me who was – as far as they’re concerned – some Singaporean ‘Chinaman’ who just showed up, they were willing to book me for shows. That’s kinda what I wanna do and mix all these different genres to encourage people to talk to each other. I just throw a random bunch of people in the room. We’ve had pole people come in. We’ve had LGBT people come in. We’ve even had circus people.

Circus people…?

Yeah, that’s another scene altogether.

“The most goth person in a room full of people wearing black and eyeliner is the person wearing bright bold colours.” – Shao

Having only returned to Singapore in recent years, what do you know about the goth scene in Singapore?

I’m very new. I’ve always been dark and alternative, and I’ve always enjoyed things that belong to the dark and alternative aesthetic. But I’m not one of the traditional goths who have been in the community for a long time, so I hesitate to speak on their behalf. But the goth community has opened their arms to me. I reached out to one of the DJs from the Singapore Dark Alternative Movement and he told me that this is what they need right now. The people are still out there. The dark aesthetic will never die. It’s part of humanity.

From the people you’ve met so far, how would you describe the goth community in Singapore?

There are all kinds of people. From what I’ve heard, they used to be more exclusive, almost like a council of vampires with a you-can’t-sit-with-us vibe who would judge you for wearing the wrong shade of black. More power to them; it was an exclusive club. But if I can comment, that made it harder for new people to break into the scene. If you look at Blacklight Raves, you see metalheads and punk rockers, but ultimately everyone’s wearing black. But you know, the most goth person in a room full of people wearing black and eyeliner is the person wearing bright bold colours – it’s that kind of independent mindset. And because of that, I dare to call myself a goth.

So for our readers who’ve never been to a Blacklight rave, what can you tell them?

Expect a lot of people wearing black, but they’re friendly and chill people. Goth came from that counter-culture, but it’s a universal theme. People here just like the darker side of things.

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